UEFA, AFC and CONCACAF demand Infantino resignation over FIFA World Cup sale plan

Aug 10, 2026

FIFA President Gianni Infantino faces a severe leadership crisis after UEFA, the AFC, and CONCACAF issued a joint open letter accusing him of "deception" and a "breach of trust" over a failed $4.2 billion plan to sell a 20% stake in the World Cup to private investors. While European, Asian, and North American leaders demand an independent review and discuss rival tournaments, Infantino has secured backing from CAF, CONMEBOL, and U.S. President Donald Trump, who warned that replacing him would be a "terrible mistake."

Infantino resignation demands

▪The Norwegian Football Federation President Lise Klaveness and the English Football Association withdrew support for Gianni Infantino, with Klaveness calling for his immediate resignation on August 7, 2026.
▪UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), and CONCACAF issued a joint open letter on August 10, 2026, accusing FIFA President Gianni Infantino of a "fundamental breach of trust" and "deception."
▪The open letter, co-signed by UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin, AFC President Salman Bin Ibrahim Al-Khalifa, and CONCACAF President Victor Montagliani, urged FIFA to hold an independent review into the World Cup sale scheme.

World Cup privatization scheme

▪The proposed main investor group for the FIFA Forward Enterprise scheme was Thrive Eternal, headed by Joshua Kushner, the brother of Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner.
▪Gianni Infantino proposed creating FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) to run the commercial and operational aspects of FIFA tournaments, with a plan to sell a 20% stake to private investors for approximately $4.2 billion.
▪FIFA apologized for errors regarding the FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal but characterized the issue as a failure of communication, which the three protesting confederations criticized as a "failure of judgment."

Confederation boycott threats

▪UEFA, the AFC, and CONCACAF have held preliminary discussions about organizing their own independent competitions amid the backlash against FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
▪UEFA threatened to boycott the FIFA World Cup and other FIFA competitions, including the Under-20 Women's World Cup scheduled for September 2026, if the private investment plan proceeded.

Trump support for Infantino

▪U.S. President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social on August 10, 2026, stating that replacing FIFA President Gianni Infantino would be a "terrible mistake" and would harm FIFA's profitability.
▪Donald Trump's public support for Gianni Infantino directly conflicts with the stance of US Soccer, which joined the confederations opposing the FIFA President.

FIFA leadership crisis

▪The Confederation of African Football (CAF) and South American governing body CONMEBOL, along with member nations including Mexico, Argentina, Kuwait, and Qatar, have declared their continued support for Gianni Infantino.
▪The three protesting confederations criticized a FIFA emergency meeting in Morocco because only one elected official was present, alongside FIFA-employed senior staff who reaffirmed support for Gianni Infantino.
▪FIFA released a statement on August 8, 2026, defending Gianni Infantino against what it termed a "concerted and ongoing effort" to undermine his leadership.